The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-18
A FEARFUL DEATH.
A Man Dies IN New York from Hydro
phobia-Physicians Horror Stricken.

A Man Dies n New York from Hydro
phobia-Physicians Horror-Stricken
New YORK, Nov. 15.-Charles Cavanan,
aged % years, a porter, residing at No. 27O
Greenwich street, died in the Chambers
Street Hospital at $50 O'Clock this morning,
a victim of genuine hydrophobia.
Att O'Clock yesterday afternoon he was
admitted to be treated as the first case of
genuine hydrophobia ever brought to the
hospital.
On Oct. s, last, Cavanan saw two dogs
fighting in front of his home. While he
was irving to separate them one of the dogs
seized him by the little finger of his right
hand. Cavanan thought nothing of the
bite, but several days later noticed that it
did not appear to be healing very rapidly.
The first intimation he had OF anything like
hydrophobia was on last Saturday, when
he began 10 feel i'll, and was seized with
slight commissions. Monday afternoon at
o'clock he was taken to the hospital for
treatment. At 2 O'Clock he began to have
spasms and commissions of the muscles of
the throat, which rapidly became more FREE
uuent and severe. About every twenty
minutes Cavanan would be seized with vio-
lent spasms, with increasing expectoration
and contraction of the muscles of the throat.
Any attempt to give him water or adj
minister any medicine Immediately brought
on violent commissions. After 5 o'clock the
convulsions became almost incessant, and
he became SO violent that it was found
necessary to remove him 10 private room
and place him i'll d straight Jacket. Two
men were required to hold him in bed. At
10 O'Clock the patient began to have hallu-
cinations and imagined that a pack of dogs
were after himself and those around him.
Morphine was freely administered. This
in a measure deadened the pain in his
throat. AT intervals he was perfectly
rational and at such times would converse
with his attendants But these spells were
of very short duration To The attendant
doctor he said during one of his sane inter
walls:
Il hold on well, don't II But l suppose
| must die 1t shows that | am pretty
strong though, don't itN
At $3.50 O'Clock this morning Cavanan be-
gan to grow black in the face and his breath.
ing became very difficult From that time
until he died he suffered greatly, at times
being hardly able to breathe, but conscious
and rational The most distressing sight
was to see the man when in commissions. His
facial contortions We're awful. He had but
one eve, but that one would stare and roll
in most horrible manner while the un-
fortunate sufferer twisted and turned in the
mo st terrible agony.
At about q o'clock, under the influence OF
heavy anu frequent injections Of morphine,
he became little easier aud died apparent
ly without pain and much easier than was
expected.
DIR. Wedeliind who attended Cavanan.
said it was an undoubted case of hydro.
phobia. SIN all my hospital experience,
SAID he land have had considerable, never
have | seen such horrible sight as that
man when he was in convulsions.'
1t is said that several persons besides Cav.
anan were bitten by the dog whose bite
caused his death, but a yet no cases Of
hydropbobia have been reported. The dog
was shot by policeman shortly after he bit
Cavanan.